The cost of packet collections--The beginner's album--Accessories--Preparation of stamps for mounting--The requirements of "condition"--The use of the stamp-hinge--A suggestion for the ideal mount--A handy gauge for use in arranging stamps--"Writing-up." CHAPTER V THE SCOPE OF A MODERN COLLECTION 151 The historical collection: literary and philatelic--The quest for _rariora_--The "grangerising" of philatelic monographs: its advantages and possibilities--Historic documents--Proposals and essays--Original drawings--Sources of stamp-engravings--Proofs and trials--Comparative rarity of some stamps in pairs, &c., or on original envelopes--Coloured postmarks--Portraits, maps, and contemporary records--A lost opportunity. CHAPTER VI ON LIMITING A COLLECTION 197 The difficulties of a general collection--The unconscious trend to specialism--Technical limitations: Modes of production; Printers--Geographical groupings: Europe and divisions--Suggested groupings of British Colonies--United States, Protectorates and Spheres of Influence--Islands of the Pacific--The financial side of the "great" philatelic countries. CHAPTER VII STAMP-COLLECTING AS AN INVESTMENT 209 The collector, the dealer, and the combination--The factor of expense--Natural rise of cost--Past possibilities in British "Collector's Consols," in Barbados, in British Guiana, in Canada, in "Capes"--Modern speculations: Cayman Islands--Further investments: Ceylon, Cyprus, _Fiji Times_ Express, Gambia, India, Labuan, West Indies--The "Post Office" Mauritius--The early Nevis, British North America, Sydney Views, New Zealand--Provisionals: _bonâ fide_ and speculative--Some notable appreciations--"Booms." CHAPTER VIII FORGERIES, FAKES, AND FANCIES 237 Early counterfeits and their exposers--The "honest" facsimile--"Album Weeds"--Forgeries classified--Frauds on the British Post Office--Forgeries "paying" postage--The One Rupee, India--Fraudulent alteration of values--The British 10s. and £1 "Anchor"--A too-clever "fake"--Joined pairs--Drastic tests--New South Wales "Views" and "Registered"--The Swiss Cantonals--Government "imitations"--"Bogus" stamps. CHAPTER IX FAMOUS COLLECTIONS 261 The "mania" in the 'sixties--Some wonderful early collections--The first auction sale--Judge Philbrick and his collection--The Image collection--Lord Crawford's "United States" and "Great Britain"--Other great modern collections--M. la Rénotière's "legions of stamps"--Synopsis of sales of collections. CHAPTER X ROYAL AND NATIONAL COLLECTIONS 303